Date of Award

3-2010

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Thesis

Department

History

First Advisor

Dr. Bruce Bigelow

Second Advisor

Jeffrey Payne

Abstract

"Syrian-American relations have deteriorated markedly in recent years. " ~Syrian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Bushra Kanafani Hezbollah. Hamas. The Islamic Jihad. Rogue nation. The axis of evil. These are features commonly used by the United States government, Western media outlets, and the American people to describe the Republic of Syria. Syria is a major player in geopolitics and relevant to the stability of the Middle East. Its relationship with the United States, therefore, is of central importance in reaching the United States goal of peace in this warravaged region of the world. The erosion of normal diplomatic relations with Syria since the middle of the twentieth century led to serious setbacks for peace and stability in the Middle East. Only with a clear and focused look at the history of the relationship between the United States and Syria can one understand when and why things went awry.

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